Four previous finals in New Orleans? Fan-tastic

Say what you will about New Orleans, but there's no other city like it.

Ray Stein, The Columbus Dispatch

Say what you will about New Orleans, but there's no other city like it.

The place delivers a little bit of everything - from the bizarre sight of above-ground caskets in its cemeteries to the wildness of a late night on Bourbon Street and the warm sweetness of a morning beignet.

Why should anyone be surprised, then, that college basketball as played in the Crescent City always proves dramatic and unpredictable?

The 2012 NCAA Tournament marks the fifth time that the champion will be crowned in the Superdome. If the previous competitions serve as any indication, basketball fans are in for a thrilling ride.

Here is a look at previous Final Fours in New Orleans:

1982

Semifinals

North Carolina 68, Houston 63

Georgetown 50, Louisville 46

Championship

North Carolina 63, Georgetown 62

Memory lane

To say that the collection of talent on the court for the final was impressive would be understating the truth. Georgetown, the top seed of the West Regional, featured center Patrick Ewing and guard Eric "Sleepy" Floyd. North Carolina, the No. 1 seed in the East, countered with James Worthy, Sam Perkins, point guard Jimmy Black and a precocious, tongue-wagging freshman named Michael Jordan.

The Tar Heels took their first lead late in the first half, at 25-24, but the Hoyas rebounded to lead 32-31 at intermission. The second half bounced back and forth, with North Carolina taking a 61-58 lead when Jordan drove past Ewing for a basket. But Floyd's one-hander gave Georgetown a 62-61 lead to set the stage for a classic - and bizarre - finish.

North Carolina, trying to win a first championship for coach Dean Smith on his seventh Final Four trip, designed a play for Jordan, who rose up from the left side and nailed the go-ahead jumper with 16 seconds remaining.

Georgetown point guard Fred Brown rushed downcourt and looked to pass to Floyd on the right wing. Worthy had overplayed the pass, though, and Brown hesitated. When Brown looked back, he instinctively tossed the ball to the player on his right, assuming it was Floyd. Instead, it was Worthy, who raced to his own end until he was fouled with two seconds left.

Worthy missed both free throws, but Georgetown coach John Thompson had used his final timeout before the foul shots - so the Hoyas had no chance with a full-court, desperation heave.

1987

Semifinals

Syracuse 77, Providence 63

Indiana 97, UNLV 93

Championship

Indiana 74, Syracuse 73

Memory lane

Among the many things that Bob Knight had little use for in his career were the three-point shot and junior-college players. Yet both realities of college basketball helped the legendary Indiana coach win his third national title.

Sharp-shooting guard Steve Alford knocked down seven three-pointers (introduced to college basketball that season) to help the Hoosiers rally from a second-half deficit, and JUCO transfer Keith Smart made all of the key plays down the stretch in Indiana's win.

The 6-foot-1 Smart, who arrived at Indiana from Garden City (Kan.) Junior College, scored 12 of his team's final 15 points, including a leaner in the lane to pull the Hoosiers to 73-72. Smart then fouled Coleman on the inbounds pass, and the freshman missed badly to give Indiana the ball with 28 seconds remaining.

The Hoosiers tried to find Alford, but Douglas had him locked in a box-and-one. So Daryl Thomas passed to Smart, who launched his jumper over Howard Triche from nearly the same spot that Jordan had beaten Georgetown five years earlier.

Like Mike's, Smart's shot went through. But Syracuse waited some three seconds to call a timeout, until just one second remained. Smart then intercepted the inbounds pass, and the celebration was on.

1993

Semifinals

North Carolina 78, Kansas 68

Michigan 81, Kentucky 78, OT

Championship

North Carolina 77, Michigan 71

Memory lane

The facts of the matter are that North Carolina won its third national title, that Donald Williams was named most outstanding player of the tournament after making 10 of 14 three-point shots in the Final Four, and that Michigan and the Fab Five lost in the final for the second year in a row.

But what most everyone remembers about the 1993 title game was Michigan's Chris Webber's effort to call a timeout the Wolverines didn't have with 11 seconds remaining in a two-point game. The ensuing technical foul and possession locked up the second title for Tar Heels coach Dean Smith.

Williams had 25 points for the Tar Heels, Eric Montross added 16 points and do-everything senior George Lynch had 12 points and 10 rebounds as well as stifling defense on Webber on the decisive possession. Webber led the Wolverines with 23 points.

The game was one of runs - Michigan led by 10 at one point, then trailed by eight. The Wolverines led by four with 41/2 minutes to go before a Williams three-pointer brought the Heels back.

North Carolina led 73-71 when Pat Sullivan made the first of two free throws. Webber rebounded the miss on the second free throw and subsequently traveled in front of the North Carolina bench - although the officials missed the violation.

A few seconds later, in front of his own bench, Webber made the mistake that ended his team's chance at a championship.

2003

Semifinals

Syracuse 95, Texas 84

Kansas 94, Marquette 61

Championship

Syracuse 81, Kansas 78

Memory lane

As soon as both semifinal games were completed, it became clear that the field of Best College Coach Never To Win a Title was going to be reduced by one.

Jim Boeheim had twice seen his Syracuse teams lose in the final, including at Keith Smart's hands in New Orleans. Roy Williams had taken Kansas to four Final Fours during his tenure, losing in the final in 1991.

Boeheim's Orangemen benefited from the sparkling play of two freshmen, Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara. Anthony totaled 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in being named most outstanding player; and McNamara scored all of his 18 points in the first half, all on three-pointers.

Nick Collison had 19 points and 21 rebounds and Keith Langford added 19 points for Kansas, which trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half before Syracuse settled for a 53-42 halftime lead.

The Jayhawks chipped away until they had closed to 80-78 in the final 30 seconds. The score was 81-78 when a missed free throw by Syracuse's Hakim Warrick gave Kansas one final chance to tie the score, but Warrick soared outside to block a three-point look by Michael Lee with less than a second to go.